Trump’s Ballroom Plans Spark Demolition Controversy at White House

The White House has initiated demolition work on the East Wing, aiming to make way for a new ballroom proposed by Donald Trump, although no official plans have been submitted yet to the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC), which oversees federal construction projects. Despite the ongoing demolition, the White House has assured that this action is permitted without prior approval from the commission.

Trump’s ambitious plans for the 90,000 square foot ballroom were disclosed earlier in the summer, with Trump pledging to personally fund the estimated $200 million project. However, criticism has emerged regarding the legality and regulatory adherence of the demolition process, particularly from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which has emphasized that public review is necessary before such actions can occur.

Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, addressed the public backlash, framing it as exaggerated. She defended Trump’s proactive approach to construction, highlighting his reputation as “builder-in-chief” and suggesting that he had a mandate from the public to make these changes to the White House.

Concerns raised by preservationists include the potential overwhelming scale of the new structure and its impact on the classical design integrity of the White House. The critique was underscored by a recent letter from the National Trust for Historic Preservation urging Trump to cease demolition until a thorough review can be conducted.

During Trump’s first term, the NCPC was engaged for smaller projects, raising questions about the consistency of adhering to protocol for significantly larger developments like the proposed ballroom. Despite assurances from Trump that the new construction would respect the existing structure, the current state of the East Wing has led to skepticism among critics.